Forcing fate's hand
by jameron4eva
Summary: A Jackie/Eric fan fic. AU set during and after "Eric's depression". Rated ma for themes in early chapters, mainly thoughts and actions of suicide. As always, Jackie and Eric will end up happily ever after, but it's how they get there. Hope ya love it.
1. Chapter 1

Howdy y'all! I know, I know, I'm not forgetting my TSCC stories, I'm just taking a break, and doing a 70's show fan fic, so sue me! I am really excited by the Jackie Eric paring, and this is what I hope will be the first of many Jackie/Eric stories, my favorite couple. Just for reference, this is in an AU, where Jackie has broken up with Kelso, and will never get together with Hyde. This story takes place during "Eric's Depression" where Donna broke up with him. As I said it's AU, so eps after this involving those parings, (all), will not exist.

_DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything in the That 70's show universe, that goes to FOX, whom took away Dark Angel, TSCC, and Firefly, from us way too early. Let's take a moment to mourn them, then try to get them back! ( minute later) Okay, now on with the story!!!!!!!_

Jackie was standing outside of Eric's room, wondering what the hell she was doing there. Wasn't Eric the one always calling her "Devil", and burning her left and right? So why should she be trying to help him now, after Donna broke up with him? The answer was simple, even with all that they did to each other, they were still friends, and Eric hadn't come out of his room in the past few days. Frankly, he was scarring all of them except Donna.

She had broken up with Michael days before Donna did Eric, but he knew it was over and was ready for it, Eric wasn't. So that's why Jackie Burkhart, primadonna, rich bitch, and Devil stood outside Eric Forman's room, he needed a friend.

"Come on Eric! quit being such a dork!" she yelled pounding on his door. "Go away" came the small and devastated voice of one of the most upbeat people she'd ever known.

Not taking "no" for an answer, Jackie opened his door, and was shocked at what she found. She found Eric Forman, ERIC FORMAN! Trying to cut his wrists. "Oh my God!" Jackie yelled out, and ran to take the knife from his hands.

"Eric! Why are you trying to do this to yourself?" she asked once she wrestled the knife from his hands. "He just looked to her, and she noticed the eyes that had once held life, and joy, were now lifeless and pained. "I just want to end it Jackie." Was all he said before turning, and jumping out the hitherto unnoticed open window. "No! Eric!" she yelled, but was to late as he ran down the road and out of site.

Knowing what he must be planing, Jackie raced down to the basement, to the group, minus Donna. "Guys!" she yelled, getting their attention, "Eric's run off." Had they not been sitting, all but Hyde would have been on the ground, Hyde was standing up in a second. "What do you mean Jackie?" he asked, and she told them what she'd caught Eric about to do, then seen him do.

Hyde knew that Forman was a dumbass like his father had said so many times, but never this far. "Okay, let's get in the cars and look for him." He said, taking over the lead of the search for Eric. Jackie stood there, and made a silent vow to never let anything happen to Eric, and felt a feeling she'd never felt before, but she knew once they'd found Eric okay, it would be gone, and she'd never be happier. "Jackie, you need to tell Donna." Hyde said, shaking her out of her thoughts.

"No, he's doing this because of her, she probably wouldn't even care." Jackie said to him, coldly. "What's up Jackie Hyde asked, and all waited for her answer. "She's the reason he's doing this, she's why he's trying to kill himself, and I think seeing her, or her even knowing about it will only drive him further." They mulled that around for a few minutes, before Hyde and Kelso spoke at the same time. "That's probably true." Was all they said.

So they headed to the Vista Cruiser, and El Camino to find Eric, not telling Donna or Eric's parents, and it didn't help it being winter.

They drove for hours, before finding a slight hint of Eric, just as they were going to give up. "Look," Jackie yelled, "his shoe." She'd spot that ugly shoe from a mile away. "He has to be here somewhere." Fez said, in a moment that didn't include candy. Jackie looked around nervously, and alert before seeing Eric's form over a bridge. "Over there!" she yelled pointing to the skinny geek, just as Hyde saw him.

He thought he heard their voices, but no it couldn't be, he thought. They'd never come to look for old broken Eric Forman. He took one last look at the surroundings of Point Place, and started his fall.

Jackie watched in slow motion as Eric started to lean ever so slightly in the direction of the river. She just knew that they'd get to him to late, they'd get to him as his feet went over the edge. And her heart broke, this was supposed to be the happiest member of the group, and here he was, trying to commit suicide.

Hyde's eyebrows went beyond his aviator glasses, as he saw Eric lean in, and he heard Jackie's stifled cry, one of heartbreak. He always knew that there was more to Eric and Jackie's burning than meet the eye. He knew also that they didn't know just how deeply they cared for one another, and was determined not to let Eric succeed with his plan. So he took a chance, and jumped out of the Camino, at high speed, giving Jackie the wheel, and went towards Eric.

Fez and Michael watched in the Vista Cruiser as Hyde gave Jackie the wheel of his prized El Camino, and jumped out of the speeding car and into Eric.

Hyde rolled after he hit Eric, and came to a stop about twenty feet from where he jumped out of his car. He slowly stood up, using the bridge wall as a support, as the others came over to see what happened. They looked down, and what they saw, surprised them.

Eric felt his feet slip, just as a heavy form hit him in the shoulder sending him flying. He thought he heard an "Eric!" when the weight hit him, but had no time to dwell on it, as the ground came rushing up. And in the next second, he only saw darkness.


	2. Chapter 2: Three Weeks Time

Forcing Fates Hand

A/N: Okay, first of thanx for the reviews, I really love them. This wasn't the original second chapter, but I abandoned my original idea, and decided to add this "filler" chapter. Basically this chapter deals with the intervening three weeks between the time Eric was hospitalized, and no I'm not going to reveal the extent of his injuries just yet, but it's enough to make the doctors put him in a medically induced coma. And if this is kind of abnormal, forgive me, I've been reading/ watching Breakfast club, and Eminem's "Loose Yourself"

FOUR HOURS LATER,

Jackie looked on as Eric's so called girlfriend tried to get near him. "I have to see him, please!" Donna was screaming at the top of her lungs, but it was doing no good, the guys of the group were holding her back. She let it go on for about another minute, until she couldn't take it anymore, "Shut the fuck up!" the diminutive brunette yelled, getting everyone's attention. "Sorry Donna, but you caused this, you almost killed him, you almost did the thing he accused me of, splitting the group," she walked up to Donna, and with a tear in her eye, said, "I think you should never see him again unless he wants to." With her peace said, she turned around to look at Eric.

TWO DAYS LATER,

Jackie was forced from Eric's side because she had to take care of her basketcase little cousin, Allison. Her little cousin lived in a town a few hours away from Point Place, in Shermer Illinois. Jackie knew why Ally, as she called her, was here, Ally's mother and father had ignored her again, and Jackie could sympathize. But instead of dealing with it like Jackie did, Ally had become a social outcast, a "Basketcase", you know the creep. So when they told Jackie that she had to take care of Ally, Jackie told them to bring her to Jackie, she was not leaving Eric. So Jackie's parents did as Jackie asked, and brought Ally there to Jackie. Which would explain why the fasionesta Jackie, was looking like a basketcase. "You know Ally, I don't normally look like this." Jackie told her younger, cousin, who gave a slight squeak in response. Who ever said that the Burkhart family line didn't act the same minimally, was a compleate damn liar! "Jackie," Ally said, bringing Jackie out of her thoughts, "Yes?" "Who's that boy in there?" Jackie saw who Ally was pointing to, and smiled, turning back to her, and told Ally everything.

ONE WEEK LATER,

Jackie stood looking on silently as Donna was being carried away in handcuffs. Donna had tried for one too many times to see Eric. The only person there to try and stop Donna that wasn't asleep, was Jackie. Jackie remembered the scene horribly,

"_Jackie, please I have to see him, I have to tell him I love him!" Donna slightly yelled at her, but Jackie stood her ground. "No Donna, I will not let you through." "Why the fuck not?" Donna yelled at her, taking a threatening step forward, and Jackie let it slip before she could stop._

"_You what?" Donna spat at her before throwing a punch. No one knew Jackie could fight, she never had a reason to, but she and Ally had taken a few lessons from her cousin's father before he went all klepto on everyone. So when Donna made to hit her, she blocked it and took a fighting stance, one meant to immobilize, not maim. By now the boys had awoken, but knew that the girls must fight it out. So when Donna went in again, Jackie took Donna's arm, and flipped the lumberjack over her body, and to the ground._

Jackie knew what Donna was forced to do now, a restraining order had been placed on her from all the group, never before in the entire history of the basement club, as they called them selves, had anything this serious happened. But Jackie was glad for it, because apparently when Donna tried to hit Jackie, she took out a doctor, almost pushing the man's nose into his brain, killing him, he was in surgery now. Donna was being placed into the car and driven off, to spend the better part of a forty-year sentience for attempted manslaughter, attempted assault, and failure to abide by a court ordered restraining order.

ONE WEEK, THREE DAYS,

Eric had woken up briefly, not long enough to remember it, but long enough for her to make an impression. Jackie told him everything, her inner demons, and what had happened, and Eric looked relieved that Donna was now in jail. "Good riddance." He said, almost as if he knew Donna was psycho the whole time, before the short trial, Donna had to take a psyche evaluation, which deduced that Donna was clinically insane, and therefore, she got put into a "loony-bin", as it was called. Jackie had been relieved to hear Eric tell his secret demons, but she also learned something that changed it all.

TWO WEEKS LATER,

Jackie was worried, Eric wasn't getting any better, nor any worse. He had slipped into a coma after his mother made Jackie leave. But the days had been good, she got to know the Forman's better, and relished in the feeling of comfort that was there, specifically by Red who she say as a true father to herself. She also was surprised at the willingness of everyone of their friends, who even got up to get Jackie food, even though she told them it was fine. Her cousin Ally had to go back, but left something for Jackie, a black eyeliner, and a note telling her to use it when Eric woke up. Jackie loved to hear what her cousin said, even if it was short, her cousin's words were always smart. But not only that tomorrow was Jackie's birthday, her 18th birthday.

THREE WEEKS LATER,

Jackie had enjoyed her birthday, but she spent it with Eric and his family. She couldn't help but feel a need to be near him, especially after their conversation, and apparently in his coma state, so did Eric, the obvious reaction to her mere smell was a welcome one for her. She was watching him sleep, then she decided to listen to his heart, her only true comfort these days, ever since, what was this, his heart was picking up pace.


End file.
